We are all aware that having a nice smile is part of looking good, but did you realise just how important it is? Well, surprisingly, having a nice smile can make a huge difference. It can even have an impact on how easy it is to get on in life.
A few years ago, Kelton Research carried out an in-depth study that demonstrated this. They asked 1,000+ survey participants to look at images of people, and give their honest opinion of each person. Surprisingly, the results showed that people with straight teeth were viewed in a more positive light than those who had crooked teeth. You can read more about the actual study, here.
Nearly a third of Americans say that the first thing they notice about someone is their smile. Without a doubt, if you have good teeth, you stand a far better chance of being viewed in a positive way by others, so it is well worth considering getting your teeth straightened.
Why people hate braces
In the not so distant past, the only way to have your teeth straightened was to wear ugly looking metal braces. Often, you had to wear them for a long time, in some cases, for more than a year. For many people, this is not practical.
For example, if you are a rep or a job seeker the last thing you need is to display a mouthful of metal every time you smile. Most people do not feel as confident when they are wearing this type of braces, which is why so many of us put up with having a crooked smile. We would rather do that than go through months of feeling self-conscious.
Modern braces are less noticeable
However, things are changing. Improvements in materials and cosmetic dentistry techniques mean that wearing braces is nowhere near as embarrassing as it used to be.
For example, it is now possible to have clear braces fitted. The majority of the components that are visible are made of transparent materials. Therefore, they are not as obtrusive as traditional metal braces are.
Fast teeth straightening
The other advantage with this style of brace is that you may not have to wear them for as long. This is largely because most dentists only use them to improve the appearance of a person’s smile. Therefore, only the front teeth need to be straightened rather than all of them.
However, it is important to realise that if you have more serious alignment issues, it may still be necessary to use traditional braces as well. Dentists are acutely aware of how hard it is for people to wear this type of braces, so they will only recommend them when necessary.
How to access modern teeth straightening treatments
Unfortunately, not every dental practice is in a position to offer these state of the art braces. If you want a modern cosmetic dentist in Dublin or another large city, you’re in the best place to find one. In cities, demand is usually higher, so it is possible to maintain a large clinic staffed by several dentists. In this type of practice, dentists can easily go away for training and learn the new techniques. For a small one-person practice, this is much harder to do, so it can take longer for them to be able to offer the latest treatments.